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Steam & Excursion > SP4449 Departs Portland Union Station to Trainfest 2009


Date: 01/18/25 16:48
SP4449 Departs Portland Union Station to Trainfest 2009
Author: OKTrainboys

What a great day.

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Date: 01/18/25 18:06
Re: SP4449 Departs Portland Union Station to Trainfest 2009
Author: DRGWMark

I think everyone was counting down the days to THAT trip given how unprecedented it was. I know I was. Didn't see or ride it, but I DID get a chance to ride the 700/4449 doubleheader out of Union Station during the 2005 NRHS convention.

While I doubt we'll ever see a steam excursion of THIS magnitude for quite a while (if ever again), I do hope 4449 can return to the mainline in the near future.



Date: 01/18/25 18:10
Re: SP4449 Departs Portland Union Station to Trainfest 2009
Author: wcamp1472

Notice how the crowd instinctively moves away from the blowing cylinder cocks!
That's the same reaction fools standing in front of an on-coming steamer...
All the whistling and shouting is ignored by fools standing too close ---
watch them jump,  instinctively & reactively, to avoid the steam cloud coming 
directly at them... The clouds of water vapor are cold and wet... but folks all
expect "steam" to naturally be 'hot'

In the mornings, all of the steam and superheater pipes are loaded with 
hot condensate, water ....Doyle is fully aware of the steam's  cold, wet state.

The engine is fitted with steam-closed 'cylinder-cocks'.  Water-lock at the 
pistons is relieved, when the water pressure at the pistons exceeds steam
( closing) pressure.  Self-relieving cylinder cocks have a very loud POP-sound
when they self-relieve... Self-relieving feature is automatic, Doyle doesn't have
to 'do' anything.

He won't see superheated steam for 20 minutes, to half an hour, of strong draft and 
strong throttle settings..  There's a lot of water and steel and refractory bricks that 
all have to get over 1200 to 1500 deg. F... before 4449 will begin to 'warm-up'..
Hot flame temps in the firebox  will be 3000F, when 4449 is up to running temps.
300 psi, boiler pressure is very close to 400 F... that's as hot as the steam formed 
from water at the same temperature ... that's all the steam will be --- the same 
temperature as tge boiling water.

Super-heat comes about when flowing steam is redirected, using superheater tubing,
and brought into the vicinity of 3000F flames ---- then, you can get the steam up 
from it's saturated-state ( 400F) to near 700 F., superheated.

The upper limit in locos is the flash-point of the valve-oil temperture...if it "flashes-off", 
there is no lubricating benefit. The flash point of tallow-based valve oils is right at 700F

Nice video...


W.


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/25 18:26 by wcamp1472.



Date: 01/18/25 22:04
Re: SP4449 Departs Portland Union Station to Trainfest 2009
Author: wp1801

Wonderful, thanks.



Date: 01/20/25 08:14
Re: SP4449 Departs Portland Union Station to Trainfest 2009
Author: RailRat

wcamp1472 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Notice how the crowd instinctively moves away from
> the blowing cylinder cocks!

Oh but what a wonderful, unique aroma that steam is, once in a lifetime for many folks, including myself with 844 in Idaho one time.

Great video!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA



Date: 01/20/25 18:52
Re: SP4449 Departs Portland Union Station to Trainfest 2009
Author: JasonJohnson

This trip was put together on a bet at breakfast during RPCA in January of 2009. I was putting together the Train Festival that year and already has 1225 and 765. Someone suggested 4449 and bet me a steak that we couldn't pull it off. I went over to Doyle, told him what I would pay per day and he said that would work. I dealt with Doyle, Martin Hansen and Sandberg on it over the next several months. Many times we thought the train would not happen, but it did. (And the steak was excellent)

I have organized hundreds of steam excursions over the last 25 years, but this excursion was the top one in my book. (So far)

We created so many memories on the trip to Michigan and back and lot of friends were made. I wish we could do it again.



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